After the Fire weaves a heartbreaking story of one teens life before and after being rescued from the Holy Church of the Lord’s Legion, a Texas cult lead by Father John. Moonbeam is only seventeen years old, but for most of her life she has lived in the Lord’s Legion and has been taught to never trust Outsiders as they only want to hurt, torture or kill you. The Government is to be feared and the only people one can trust is your fellow brothers and sisters. Father John, The Prophet, expects loyalty and obedience as he speaks directly from the Lord, but Moonbeam slowly starts to question her own beliefs as well as Father John. When a fire breaks out at the compound, Moonbeam’s life is about to change. Will Moonbeam be able to find herself or are the teachings of Father John ingrained to deeply within her?

I have always been fascinated with cults and I remember the news footage shown on television on David Koresh and the Branch Davidians which After the Fire is loosely based on. This story really gives a harrowing look inside of a cult and its teachings. While After the Fire is purely fiction, a lot of what is shown here rings true for a lot of members swayed into joining something they believe in whether it is for religious reasons or just the feeling as if they are apart of something meaningful. This story really gives a profound look inside of a cult and the damages it can and will cause. It is really sad to see children being exposed to this kind of life and sometimes it is all that they know especially being born in this kind of environment. Imagine your entire life being taught to believe one way and never seeing the outside world for what it truly is. It really is tragic.

Moonbeam’s story is told in before the fire and after the fire snippets. Here we learn what life was like for her living in the Lord’s Legion and just how far she was brainwashed and manipulated into believing a charismatic leader such as Father John. Living on the compound was not easy. There is child, mental and physical abuse that might make it hard for some readers to get through. But, Moonbeam tells her story the best she can while learning how to trust again. Moonbeam fights her inner demons and everything she has learned at the compound and along the way she slowly starts to find herself. There is an added element of suspense in Moonbeam’s story thats leads up the fire and it is done in such an honest and believable way.

Will Hill writes with such compassion and brutal honesty which never turns judgmental. It is refreshing to see an author write with such conviction and portray a fictional story that for the most part rings true to so many people who are currently inside something so disastrous as a cult and also for people who have escaped. Hill does not put down anyone for their beliefs and he writes from the heart and even with a little bit of understanding how someone can be sucked into a life that is so dangerous to the mind and body. Will Hill is an exceptional author that simply tells a story without inserting his own beliefs and narrative between the pages.

After the Fire is a story about survival. It is a moving, touching and emotional journey one teenager takes to finding redemption within herself. I found myself unable to put this story down and was completely captivated right from the start. This truly is a remarkable read and well deserving of five stars. What an outstanding portrayal of life inside of a cult. Hill has definitely acquired a new fan.

A stunningly prolific read, a look inside a real life nightmare through the eyes of a teenage girl. I grew up in the era of The Branch Davidians and the members of Heaven’s Gate, honestly I could never understand how people could be so easily drawn in and controlled. I loved this look inside the walls, though fiction, I could picture it perfectly.

I can’t imagine growing up in Moonbeams world anymore than she could image growing up in mine. Will Hill gave us a peek through the looking glass, an sympathetic inside trek through corruption and absouluite power. Power corrupts there’s always someone waiting who thinks they have more.

My only critique is a person like Father John wouldn’t not have waited to take what he wanted. They never do, its a rough, harsh, reality but it is what it is. AND I would’ve loved to see some more of Moon’s life after, the way she maneuvered with a world full of questions.

Still a gripping, full of imagery read that I was consumed by until the last page.

After The fire is told in alternating timelines from "before the fire" and " after the fire". Moonbeam was a member of the Lord's Legion, which can best be described as a cult. Her parents joined when she was young and living inside the "fence" is all she has ever known. Before the fire, she was taught not trust outsiders and to only trust Father John who receives the word of God and is preparing the "cult" members for the final battle. After the fire, Moonbeam is in a facility where she is meeting with Dr. Hernandez and Agent Carlyle, she slowly begins to trust and tells them what life was like in the compound and what happened the day of the fire.

I think it is best to go into this book a little blind. The book gets better and better with each small revelation that Moonbeam makes. If you are not too sure what is going on in the beginning of the book, keep reading. The Author does a wonderful job of showing what life is like inside a cult. How brainwashing and fear are used to control and manipulate group members. In the Authors note he shares how the Waco seize of the Branch Davidians who were led by David Koresh was the source of inspiration for this book. He is not talking about or criticizing any Christian faith but trying to show how he imagines that cults work - again using the Branch Davidians as his inspiration.

The more I read, the more I enjoyed this book. The before and after timelines were a wonderful touch. The story unfolds seamlessly. Moonbeam is learning to trust, she has been taught to fear, to be guarded. She has a great inner dialogue and I appreciated hearing her thoughts and enjoyed her courage in taking a chance on not only sharing her experience but also for her being nurturing and supportive to the children who were also at the hospital/care facility with her.

I found this book to be well written and captivating. This book is both thought provoking and tugs on the readers emotions. Many feelings may come up for the reader: shock, disgust, fear, sadness, hope, etc. I felt for Moonbeam, the children, and the other cult members on the compound. This is a well thought out book which shows the evil in some and the resiliency in others. This Author handles the heavy situations with grace and care. This is not a happy go lucky book, but it is not always addressing the negative impact of cults. It also addresses hope, courage, inner strength and the desire to start over.

This book may have some triggers for some.


Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I give After the Fire 3.5 stars for drawing me in and keeping me on the edge of my seat.
Moonbeam has lived in a cult since was little. But for her it's not a cult, it's Family. It's not until the compound is raided and a fire breaks out that Moonbeam is able to see the complete truth of her life and how to deal with it. Moonbeam works with a therapist going over everything that happened to her but she doesn't want to give up her most terrible secret.
The book is told from Moonbeam's perspective. This allows you to see her views throughout the flashbacks as well as emotional reaction to the events. My heart hurt for her and pleaded with to tell us her secret.
Loosely based on Waco, the book is actually a lot more lowkey compared to what happens in more cults. There are moments of sexual abuse and violence but the majority of issues are hinted at and kept behind closed doors.
The psychology of cults interests me to no end. This fictionalized ver4sion moved me and kept me turning pages.

This was a bit of a different read for me. No romance in this one. The story could very easily be taken from the headlines of society. The story was well paced. It did trip me up a little in a couple spots with the time frame of the flashbacks. I really understood Moonbeam's thought process through the writing. I never really questioned why or why not she did something. He wrote her well.

Based on the true events that happened at the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas. I loved the way this book is written only giving us little glimpses at a time of life inside the religious sect that Moonbeam is a part of.

You know that Moonbeam is holding something back. That she is wracked with guilt over something but you don't know what it is. It isn't until almost the end that you find out.

This is a really well done book that sucks you in from the beginning and keeps your interest all the way through. I am always fascinated by these religious sects and how the people come to follow these "prophets" and this shows how they are systematically broken down and the difficulty those who start to lose faith go through to either stay off the radar or find a way out.

Tl;dr: Well written and sensitive account of a teenage girl who is a survivor of a government raid on the cult where she was raised. Will especially resonate with those who remember what happened in Waco, Texas (which is adult readers)

Although After the Fire is classified as a young adult novel and I do think the mc, Moonbeam, and what she goes through will be interesting to teen readers, I think that adults who renember what happened at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, will actually find this more interesting. I know that my recollections of the time prompted my interest in the book, and I thought that Mr Hill did am amazing job with Moonbeam, whose story is heartbreaking and so, so well done.

Things I especially loved, and the one thing that kept this from being a five star read: (SPOILERS AHEAD)

SPOILERS

SPOILERS


-- I loved that we never find out what Moonbeam's real name was. I like to think that in a few years, she'll either pick one for herself or stay Moonbeam in honor of what she did to save those she could, and for herself for her strength in doing what she thought was right versus what she was taught

--Nate. I loved that he never ever became a love interest, but instead was someone doing the best he could under an extremely difficult situation, and that, in the end, he didn't survive. I thought that touch of realism--as Mr. Hill does an outstanding job of portraying Father John's fanaticism-- was a sobering and painful but necessary reminder of what cult leaders will do to make sure they keep power. And Mr Hill did a fantastic job of portraying Moonbeam's realization that, with Nate (and her grandparents and presumably mother's) death, there is no one left for her to reach out to.

-- Moonbeam and Honey. What happened to Honey was horrific and I thought Mr Hill did a great job of fleshing Honey out. I loved how strong Honey was, how she and Moonbeam realized how difficult everything would be for the other, younger survivors, and everything they did to help. I was also really glad that Honey got a happy, but realistic end in After the Fire

--Luke. Kudos to Mr Hill for making me feel a tiny bit of compassion for a throughly deplorable character. I loathed him, but understood, as Moonbeam did, that even though he was horrible, he was also broken.

Now for what I didn't like:

-- The ending. I figured Moonbeam's mother would show up, but by the time I was mostly done with After the Fire, I started to think she wouldn't and I was *so* imoressed by Mr. Hill writing such a realistic (and for a ya novel, bold) ending. Moonbeam had survived, had told her story and started to heal, but was going to face becoming part of the world largely alone. It was gritty and real and I was wondering if there would be a sequel and then...

Well, of course, with about three or fewer chapters left, wouldn't you know it, but Moonbeam's mother is alive. Not in great shape (that was the one realistic touch) but still, suddenly Moonbeam is okay because family! Real, true family! I was so disappointed because the miraculous return of a family member for a happy ending is such a cliche and Mr Hill had done a pretty good job of avoiding them. But the ending, making it so wrapped up with a bow and 834566543 cherries on top? It felt like a copout and was a copout and my disappointment is compounded by the fact that until then, After the Fire was so good. Then it just felt like another teen survives something awful and heals with family novel and those are everywhere.

Having said all that I do think After the Fire will appeal to teen readers who like angst with a happy ending, although I think the book's largest audience is actually people like me who remember Waco and wondered about the children Koresh realeased during the events of 1993. And for those adult readers, this book is going to be very compelling, although the too neat ending may annoy.

What an intense and emotional story. I wasn’t sure if I’d like the back and forth writing ofbefore and after the fire, but I did.
The characters captured you and kept you involved. I highly recommend this book.

Intense and powerful, this story weaves through emotions based on belief, control, family, religion, survival and lies.

Moonbeam has lived most of her seventeen years inside the compound. Her father died when she was younger. Her mother was banished only a few years before. The fence and gates protected her and her Brothers and Sisters from the evils of the Serpent beyond. They did as the lord wanted and tried to follow his rules. She tried to stay pure until she noticed the lies. Then, came the fire. Now, she's trapped again and must figure out where the truth in the past as well as the future lies.

I had read the blurb but was not prepared for this book. It is raw and hits basic questions about belief, manipulation and greed straight on. Moonbeam is a wonderful character full of strength and flaws. Sometimes she comes across a bit too clever considering her predicament, but it's not enough to snag the story. Through a trade-off between 'before' and 'after', what she experienced and what now awaits her sink in and grab. Each scene from her past and the truths it holds dribble in just at the right time as she tries to work out what happened to her and how to deal with it while gazing upon a future she never guessed she'd ever have. The author does a fantastic job pacing this just right. It keeps the tension high while allowing the emotional impact to bear down full force. And the read hits home.

Moonbeam's depictions of her past illustrate clearly how belief and trust can be twisted under the right circumstances. It shows how good people can be manipulated into something they wouldn't want to be if they realized what was going on. The scenes are harsh and cruel, but still, the novel enables the reader to understand how the circumstances can come about.

This isn't a light read but digs deep and leaves tons of food for thought. I wouldn't recommend this for younger YAers, since it addresses some pretty tough material and cruelty. But it's not a read to avoid by any means. The messages are harsh yet full of hope and make it clear what is acceptable and what not. The reader comes away thinking, and this is exactly what should happen. I highly recommend this read to ages sixteen and above.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and enjoyed reading it so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.

Once I started this book I didn't want to put it down. Which is sometimes difficult when you work 12 hours a day. I personally find anything about Cults fascinating. I think the reason being is because I could never see myself ever being in one, so I find it's interesting to see how other people could be so drawn into them. This book focuses on Moonbeam a 17 year old girl who has lived almost all her life in this compound. The book goes back and forth between what is going on now and what has happened while actually in the compound. I only found 2 things that bothered me with this book. In the book it is mentioned many times that all books, tv, etc. were taken away at least 5 years before the present time. Which would make Moonbeam about 12 years old. The problem I have is how talks, if all learning and the outside world got shut off when she was 12 how is she so far beyond her thinking for a 17 year old especially one so insulated. You can get past that and still enjoy the book but it did irk me a little. Also I thought the end wasn't that great for Moonbeam, I didn't find it believable about her mom. Overall I did truly enjoy this book.

*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

I really like the way this story is constructed. Little by little you get to know how the events unfolded, as Moonbeam starts to open up and tell her story. I started reading "After the Fire" without knowing what to expect. All I had seen before was just the official book description, and nothing more. And I must say I was impressed with everything. Nice plot, great main character, nice alternation between tales of before and after the fire. And I was even more impressed in learning that, although this is a work of fiction, it was loosely inspired by real facts.

My students will love this book about the Waco compound fires. The story jumps right in and doesn't let up. Also gives insight to the minds of those who have grown up with a compound life...the lies that were their truths.

After the Fire is a story being told by Moonbeam flashing back between past and present as she recounts the events that led to where she is now, in a hospital talking to a psychiatrist and an agent of the law, a Serpent, the Prophet, Father John, would say. Moonbeam, under the careful questioning of Dr. Hernandez starts to tell a story. A story that leads you back to where the story started, which was what really got me hooked.

If the story hadn’t started the way it had I probably wouldn’t have been nearly as interested. The story starts with her making her way desperately to a building trying to unlock it as fire rages and bullets whiz past her and around her and badly injuring herself in the process. She is desperate, there are kids in that building and she has a key (how did she have a key, why does she have that key?) to save them.

Through Moonbeam you learn about her time in the Lord’s Legion, led my Father John who takes the faith to a cult like fervor with a Waco like ending, and how she went from a true believer to a girl just looking to survive. You get the sense she’s keeping secrets, heck she tells it to you right away, but the secret she reveals? Well... I hadn’t entirely been expecting it.

Interesting story, I find cults fascinating and have been fortunate to talk with and meet a survivor of a cult before. No two stories are the same. This is much more dramatic than her story was but the emotions feel very much in line with what I got from her.

This story won’t be for everyone. It’s intense. It’s never said outright and not recognized by our character as being this, but threat of rape is a constant in the background. She mentions other girls getting visitors in their rooms at night by other men of the compound. There is violence. While there is talk of religion I wouldn’t say I recognize it as being tied to any faith in particular, rather a man who recognized people’s need for faith and twisted it to suit his own ends but there is talk of faith and religion and it can get a bit intense sometimes. Someone commits suicide. People are injured, people die. This is a dark story and dark things happened. Please recognize this for your sake, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but I think a lot of that has to do with Moonbeam recognizing beforehand what she was learning was a lie, what she was living was a lie.

I think this was an interesting story with a lot of thoughtful and emotional parts.

I received a free coy of After The Fire by Will Hill from NetGalley for my honest review.

I don't normally read YA books but I had read so many good reviews that I decided I wanted to request it. I am very glad I read it. A fantastic read!

This is a story that goes from past to present in regards to Moonbeam and how she deals with the aftermath of a fire that uprooted her entire life. She wakes up in a secured facility but is scared and doesn't know if she is safe.

Moonbeam is forced to be a part of therapy sessions with a Dr. Hernandez and Agent Carlyle. Together, they are trying to help her put the pieces of her life back together. She is learning to cope with her fear and trying to confront each day with the realization that she survived and accept help from those around her.

Moonbeam grew up on the Lord's Legion, which is what I would call a cult. This cult is led by Father John. Moonbeam starts to reveal more information as time goes on about his brainwashing and tyrannical ways. She starts to realize that her beliefs and how she has been raised is wrong and wants to escape but who would help her?

This is a story of abuse and there times that it is very hard to continue reading it due to the very visual reading. You will learn as Moonbeam puts her life back together and remembers what happened that the guilt she holds with her will affect her and those who are trying to help her.

This book is centered around a cult survivor, Moonbeam. The titles are before and after the fire, giving us the story in increments, as she talks to a doctor and FBI agent. She is a strong, well developed character and the stuff that went on at the compound is disturbing but not graphic. It held my attention throughout and I was invested in her story. While reading this I couldn’t help but think of Waco. Highly recommend this one. 4.5 stars

OMG what an awesome book. You will be riveted from the very first page until the last so whatever plans you had or things that had to be done kiss them buh bye because you will not be able to put this book down. Absolutely pick up this gem of a book from an author I really look forward to reading more books from. Happy reading!

After the Fire is Moonbeam's story of the cult that she lived in and survived. I've always been fascinated by cults and how the leaders use fear to control the masses, so when I had a chance to read this I jumped at it. This is the first book I've read of Will Hill's and I was not disappointed. The characters in this book will have your emotions all over the place. You hate what they do, but your heart will break because they really do not know any better. Moonbeam is the strongest girl I know. Her bravery and strength really know no bounds. I really liked the story, how it was written with the "before the fire" and "after the fire". Very well done!

Epic, exciting, thrilling, emotional rollercoaster of a read. I will definitely be picking up more from Will Hill in the future.

Three words to describe this book – survival, perseverance and control.

You cannot help but very many different emotions while reading this book. It sucks you in from the very first page, and holds your interest throughout as you turn the page to read what will happen next. A very compelling and powerful story of survival, perseverance, control and the fight for freedom. Cleverly written through to the very powerful ending, this book was simply amazing!

After the Fire is told from alternating timelines – between the past (before the fire), and the present (after the fire). As we read the book the story slowly unfolds, as the main character Moonbeam tells her powerful story. Bit by bit we get glimpses into what really happened, and piece by piece we eventually get to understand the whole story and what truly happened.

I felt many different emotions while reading this novel. At times I felt sorry for Moonbeam and all the young children and in this book, as I read what they had to endure and go through on a daily basis. Reading how they were treated, both unkindly and unfairly, and were lied to and manipulated for so many years by the adults who were supposed to protect them and care for them. And don’t get me started on Father John. What a piece of work he was! I quickly learned to despise Father John.

After the Fire is a powerful and wonderful story that was a pleasure to read. It made me feel all the feels and feel so many different emotions. What an emotional roller coaster! I highly recommend this book.

*A big thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.*

It’s no secret that a lot of people have a sort of fascination with cults, and I’m no exception—though I don’t normally read fiction about cults. But with this one? First, I read some positive reviews about it from people whose opinion I respect, and that goes a long way. Second … have you read the summary?! I’m a big sucker for duplicity and lies and things not being as they seem. Plus, the idea of After the Fire being written from the perspective of a cult member was really appealing.

Content warning for abuse (physical and psychological) and mildly graphic depictions of death.

Thoughts:

- The story is based on the real-life events of Waco and the tragedy that ensued there, but it does so tactfully, while remaining true to the experience of those who have been in cults. Or at least it rings true, though granted, I’ve never been in that situation myself. The story is told from the perspective of Moonbeam, who is a 17-year-old who has basically grown up in the cult and has gone through a rather magnificent character arc of her own. Hill deals with the subject matter honestly—pulling no punches when describing the punishments, the way a cult leader gains and maintains control—while still portraying a community that Moonbeam sees as her home, as safe from the dangers of the outside world, as being “right” when everyone else is wrong. The story really drives home just how deep and pervasive the beliefs are, and that’s the most key element of it: the cult members believe everything wholeheartedly. And why wouldn’t they? Father John is persuasive, and his logic makes sense. That was probably the biggest thing that struck me about this book, is just how much everything made sense and I could see why people would buy into it, while still being disgusted at their actions.

- The story is actually told with a split timeline, with the present being after the fire with Moonbeam in therapy and the past being, well, before the fire. Duh. Sometimes this can be confusing, but this was done so well, I thought, particularly because there’s such a stark contrast, not only in the main character but in her setting. The world of therapy and doctors and safety is so vastly different than her life in the cult, and pairing them together really highlighted the differences between the two. Most importantly, the therapy in this is handled beautifully and shown in a positive light—just what Moonbeam needs when she needs it, and nothing more or less than that.

My favorite parts were actually the dynamics of the therapy: the way Dr. Hernandez was cognizant and not in the least bit dismissive of anything Moonbeam said or asked, and especially the interplay between Moonbeam and Agent Carlyle (who is easily one of my favorite characters in this). What’s more, Dr. Hernandez and Agent Carlyle represent the “normal person’s” reaction to hearing about life in a cult—a lot of times, even, they mirrored my own knee-jerk reactions to the details—and what made this so important was the way Moonbeam reacted to their reactions. But the exchanges between three characters remind the reader that these things were real for Moonbeam, and, more than that, they were normal and as far as she had known, there was nothing wrong with them. I thought this part was so important, because it was a constant reminder to stop and think from her perspective instead of just reacting.

- Moonbeam’s character arc is AMAZING. The first time we see her character is at the very beginning, during the fire. At that point she’s terrified (obviously), but she seems pretty capable. What we don’t see until flashbacks is the obedient girl who somehow ended up in that situation. Moonbeam’s transformation happens in spurts and fits during the flashbacks, in teensy, insidious thoughts that eventually take root and bloom.

- I had figured out about 95% of the ending before I was far into the novel—but that last 5%? Oof. That last 5% got me. It’s predictable is what I’m saying. Which may seem like a really bad idea for a thriller, but it totally worked, because the important part wasn’t how the story ended, but the journey to get there. So I was more than happy to take the scenic route to a predictable ending.I was SO FREAKING SURE that I knew how it would turn out, particularly relating to one character who shall remain nameless. BUT I WAS SO WRONG. I still haven’t forgiven myself. Or the author. I mourned for daysssss.

- The writing is an easy read, and the story is anything but. It pushes the envelope and really makes you stop and think. There were so many times that I was so mad I wanted to throw the book. And then I laughed. And then I awwwed. And then I started plotting the death of a character who clearly deserved it, okay? Homicide is not wrong if they deserve it and you don’t get caught. It wasn’t long until I realized the therapy sessions weren’t just helpful for Moonbeam, but they were a necessary lull in all the emotions I felt, and as Moonbeam sussed through her reactions, I was able to come up for a breather and consider what sorts of emotions I had just been bombarded with, too.